


OCEAN EYES ★ parker [1]

by sspiderling



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Badass, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Civil War (Marvel), F/M, High School, Mutant Powers, Parent Tony Stark, Rebels, Superheroes, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-13
Updated: 2019-07-24
Packaged: 2020-06-27 11:25:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19789894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sspiderling/pseuds/sspiderling
Summary: Nicole has always been a normal teen...or so she thought. Well, she's technically not normal, since her father is the famed "genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist" Tony Stark. But nobody knows that part of her life. They just know the smart loser Nicole Iverson.Nicole never knew that she was a gifted person. She didn't know of the extraordinary strength she had...or the dangerous side within.Nic was invisible to everyone in the world, until she found herself staring back at a different person in the mirror.A civil war is brewing and threatens to pit father against daughter, and friends against friends.





	1. Blue Waves

~Nicole~

I always dreamed of saving the world, being a hero and having amazing superpowers. I would always beg my father to buy Avengers memorabilia and visit with Steve, Clint, Nat, Bruce, or Thor in Avengers Tower. As a result, I knew everything about the Avengers, and I was like a kid sister to them all. Iron Man (obviously) was my favorite, with the red and golden suit and blasters. Still, every Avenger was badass in their own way.

I wished to be a thunder god, or a stealthy, secret warrior. Maybe I could be a strong warrior without being a green monster. No offense, Hulk. Clint tried to teach me archery but the arrows always kept flying past the bullseye. I don't know why I'm so obsessed over superheroes...Maybe-

"I know you're awake, Nic. You stopped snoring." Lex shouted. I quickly pulled the covers down, acting appalled. "I do not snore!"

She laughed, walking out of the room. I gently nudged Zel in the bed next to me. She stirred, turning over to face me. Zel opened one eye. "Oh, hi, Nic..."

"Come on, little sis." I whisper, trying to wake her. She rolled her eyes. "You know I'm the big sis, right, little sis?" Zel taunted.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, kiddo." I chuckle. We quickly got dressed, walking to the kitchen. We lived comfortably in one of the many high-rises Tony owns, for a large family. We just usually ate fruit or cereal for breakfast, or some granola bars, as our dad wasn't the best cook in the world. Lex was like a mother, even though she was only 16, one year older than me and Zel. There were 11 of us in total. Yes, my parents breeded like rabbits.

Our mom had died 9 years ago when we were little, and the youngest sister, Val was a newborn. We've never had a normal childhood. My father, Tony Stark, was a filthy rich billionaire and he flaunted it.

Lex, Rose, Zel, Julie, and I go to a smart kids' high school which I can't remember the name of. Tony insists that Happy take us to school in one of the many luxury cars, but the rest of us feel embarrassed to be seen as spoiled brats, which we weren't. No one really knows we're Tony's kids, because we all have the name of our mom, Vanya Iverson.

We walk to school. I don't mind walking. It helps me stay relaxed from the stress of life. I loathe school. Snakes live there, waiting to bite and tear at me. Don't pity me. I've grown a tough skin.

Walking into the school, I walk to where Andy, Ace, Meg and the space twins sit. The space twins are Nova and Sirius, two exchange students from somewhere I can't remember. They look mystifying and strangely beautiful, and they are caring. They better not be vampires.

Andy smiles at me. She pats the space next to her, gesturing me to sit. Amanda Meredith Quill was a true friend since day one. She's also an orphan. She lives with her grandpa, a nice old man. She loves to laugh and make people smile. Don't underestimate her though. She's a wolf with all bite. Andy doesn't remember her parents, only her mother's brown-blonde hair and her shiny blue eyes.

Ace is a nice and funny boy. He has a crush on Andy, but won't admit it. He's surprisingly strong for a teenager. Ace breaks things easily, like he smushed a carton of milk in one hand. He's protective of his friends and family.

His sister Meg is an introvert like me. She is Ace's shadow, but when you get to know her, she is a legitimately interesting person. Meg is a fighter as well, and a genuine friend. I know her mom, Mrs. Carter. She's kind of mysterious, but I guess all adults have their secrets.

"Niccolleee! Are you listening?" Andy snaps her fingers in front of my eyes. I wake up from my trance. "Heh...sorry, Andy. You were saying something?" I smile.

"Okay...so, do you ever get the feeling that something good is about to happen?" Andy asks the group. Meg shrugs. "Yeah, but then it turns out to be a false alarm."

Andy rolls her eyes. "Come on, Megsy. Don't be a pessimist." Meg blows a bubble with her gum. Andy continues a conversation that switches from talking about intuition to wanting to become an Avenger, the life dream of a superhero fan.

"Thor is a bombshell, to be honest. But Loki is even better." Meg says. Nova laughs. "He may be a villain, but he's OUR villain." The blonde smiles. (Loki is dad)

"Wow...we just suddenly started talking about hot guys. Unbelievable." Ace rolls his eyes and converses with Sirius about guy stuff.

I can feel my hand warm up a little. It's probably just sweat. I wipe it on my pant leg. And then, I see the devil itself. "Look what came out of the trash. Hello, Nicholas." It's Silver Serpent, aka Sarah Grey.

"It's Nicole, you fungus."

"Okay, rat's nest. You better back off from my boyfriend or you're gonna get what's coming to you." She hisses. Oh...so she's talking about Shane.

"He's not even your boyfriend and doesn't even like YOU." I snap. "Go away, bitch."

The snake slithers away, angry and seething. I roll my eyes, going back to my conversation. "How long are you gonna let Snaky Silver hiss at you?" I hear Zel say. I sigh. "She doesn't bother me. Her old school tricks are expired. I just like toying with her."

"Let's face it, Nic. She's kind of getting to you." Andy says. I sigh again. "I kind of feel it getting to me."

Nova pipes up. "One day, Nic, that snake will get stepped on." I nod. The bell rings for the first period of the day. We all go to our separate classes. I do not look forward to today.  
————  
Ah...first period with Mr. Garcia, Spanish. It comes easy to me. Remarkably, Sarah doesn't look my way. I sit close to Alice Hargreeves, a goth girl, but she's also a down-to-earth person. Shane Russell was my former crush in 6th grade. He's been "dating" Snaky Silver on-and-off since then. I don't know what he sees in her.

Peter Parker is also one of my acquaintances. I would consider him a best friend, too. On my very first day here, he showed me around the school and even sat next to me at lunch. This was before I met everyone else. He's cute too, which is a plus. Please shut up, brain. I'm talking. He's good at Physics and at gym, which is not my forte. I'm more of a literature and writing type of girl.

Tony knows that I am friends with Peter Parker, even though he doesn't know who he is. He's chill with it, even though he wouldn't want any boys around his little girl. He just tells me to not do anything stupid with him or get into trouble...whatever that means.

I smile at Peter as we are grouped up for a Spanish project. "Hola, Señor Parker. What's up?" He gives me that goofy grin of his. Nicole, STOP.

"Hola, Señorita Iverson. I'm just my same old self. How are you?" He asks. I shrug. "Just the usual." We are deep into conversation about random stuff. I can't help but feel a tingle in my brain.

"We haven't hung out in a long time." I say. "Do you want to do the project together at your house?"

"Why not your house? Just wondering, you know." He asks.

"My dad doesn't want people to just show up, sorry. Even if it is just a friend." I smile.

"Okay, sure. So, I was thinking..." Peter starts. The bell rings, cutting him off. People pack up and go to second period. Peter stops me, grabbing my hand. I blush pink. "Hey, Nic! I was thinking if you wanna do some of the project at my apartment? Here's the address. Is 4pm good?" He asks. I take the paper with his address and nod. "See you at 4, Mr. Parker." I smile.

The rest of the day goes by without a hitch. Lunch is okay, except Snaky Sarah wouldn't stop bugging me. Peter and I started the project a little, and then we're going to finish it later. 4th period is after, which is gym. That is a horrible idea, but whatever.

As usual, Coach Wilson makes us do some warm up laps. I wore my contacts today, not wanting my glasses to get sweaty and oily. As I run, I feel a stinging sharpness in my eyes. I try not to worry. Maybe I just got some dirt in my eyes. I wipe them as I run. The stinging goes away. A few laps later and we are on to our exercise routine.

The stinging comes back, even more painful. It's like lights are being shined in my eyes. I wince and close them. It still hurts. Now, a migraine is starting to form. I furiously wave my hand at the Coach.

"Can I please go to the restroom? I think I have something in my eyes!" I try not to panic. Peter looks at me worriedly. "Hurry up, Iverson. Try not to take long." Wilson says nonchalantly.

I run to the door, trying to make sure I know where I'm going. I race to the girls' restroom. Everything is starting to blur. What is happening? I look in the mirror. I stare at my eyes. There are swirls of neon blue in the whites of my eyes and everywhere in the eye.

I wipe my eyes. They still hurt. I take out my contacts and splash water in my eyes. Whatever I saw is gone. I splash my face and replace my glasses. Maybe it was nothing. The headache is still there though. I walk back to class like nothing happened.

"Are you okay, Nic?" Peter asks me. I smile. "Yeah! I'm fine, it was my contacts bothering me." We continue to finish our exercises, not worrying about anything.  
————  
The day goes by quickly. Nothing else happened after that fiasco. Maybe it was nothing. I walk back to the high rise with my sisters. I did not tell anyone about what I saw. They'd probably think I'm crazy.

I drop my things on my desk. Sitting down and taking a deep breath in. Zel walks in, looking at me worriedly. "What is it, Nic?"

I shake my head. "Just thinking about life." I weakly smile. "That reminds me...I have to go to Peter's house." I stand to go to the door.

"Be careful, Nic. I know something's troubling you. Just know that you can tell me or any of us girls, okay?" Zel hugs me.

"Calm down, Zel! It's not like I'm going to die!" I laugh, and hug her. "You're like Lex!" She fakes being offended and smiles.

Tony stops me at the door. "Don't do anything stupid, kid. You have your pepper spray?" He asks. I roll my eyes.

"Tony, please. I can handle myself." I say.

"Do you want Happy to take you? 'Cause he can." Tony persists.

My lips are in a sharp line. "Tony. Dad...I'm okay. I'm 15. I can walk by myself."

Tony sighs. "I know. You're my daughter. Just...don't kiss on the first date." He smirks.

"Why does everyone tell me that? I do not like Peter like that! He is my best friend!" I sputter.

"I'm messing with ya, kid. Constant vigilance, Okay?" He says.

"Okay, grandpa." I hug Tony.

I say goodbye to the girls and leave for the Parker residence. Why am I so nervous? I've hung out with Peter before...but never at his own house! He has an aunt named May, I think. In some ways, Peter and I are like the same. Surprisingly, he lives near my home.

I go up the floors and reach the Parker apartment. I knock nervously. Nicole, what is it with you today? Someone has to know. A woman opens the door. "Hi, I'm Nicole Iverson and I'm here to work on a project with Peter. Is he here?" I say, trying to shove the nerves down.

The woman smiles. "Yes. Peter has been expecting you. You can call me May. It's nice to meet you, Nicole."

May leads me inside. "He's in his room." She points at a simple, white door. I knock on it. "Hey, it's me, Nic." I say. Peter opens it. "Oh, hey Nic!" He lets me sit down on the chair next to his desk, while he sits down on his bed. I smile.

"Nice room, kind of better than mine." I say.

"Aw, thanks. I tidied up a bit before you got here. Didn't want to make a bad impression." He grins. My heart warmed at that. "You could never make a bad impression." I tell him.

We start our work on the project, brainstorming and formulating it. You had to make a dish and record it in Spanish. I kind of edged myself closer to Peter. My brain is going a thousand miles per hour. What is happening?

I accidentally touched his hand. "Oh wow! Your hand is hot!" He laughed. I nervously chuckled. "Sorry...I sweat sometimes."

Please, someone help. My eyes stung again. "I got something in my eye again. Um... where's the bathroom?" I said, trying to find somewhere to calm down without worrying Peter.

"It's down the hall on the left." He said. I briskly walk to the bathroom, shutting the door and bracing my hands on the sink. I look at the mirror. My eyes are glowing neon blue. Now both of my eyes are flickering. I close them but the blue doesn't seem to want to go away. The sink is becoming hot. I take my hands off the sink. The bright blue light is spreading to my hands. Even my veins are turning neon blue.

I breathe deeply, trying not to have a panic attack. Fuck. I shake my hands, try to splash water on them but nothing works. Tears roll down my eyes. I wince, squeezing my eyes shut and balling my fists.

"Are you okay in there?" Peter asks. It's been 20 minutes. "Yeah! Just a minute!" I call out. Come on, brain! The violet light isn't going away! I think of a plan.

I open the door and try not to meet Peter's eyes. I turn deep red. "Sorry, Pete. I have to go. My sister called me for an emergency." I lied. I stuck my hands in my hoodie pockets and put on my hood. "Um...okay! Well, I'll see you tomorrow." He says. I keep my gaze lowered so no one sees my eyes.

I swiftly walk as fast as I could. The night sky is starting to appear. I try not to meet anyone's gaze but I need to stay alert. My glasses do not help one bit. I walk pass alleyways and I hear a guy shout.

"Please don't hurt me! Here's the money!" I hide behind a parked car and look at the scene. A small bank is being robbed. A teller is holding his hands as four masked robbers are ransacking the safe. Unfortunately, my stubborn self decides to step up to the plate.

"Hey! You guys stop it!" I yell. The four men look at me, a stupid 15-year-old girl, and laugh, as one would. "Go home, kid. Or we'll shoot holes in you!"

"Run along assholes!" I yell. My adrenaline rises. They point their guns...and shoot. BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Thoughts race in my head. I'm sorry, Dad. I should've stayed home. You would say, "this is where the story ends, Nicole." But how could I tell you MY story if I'm dead?

The 4 bullets bounce off me. The guys look at me worriedly. I meet my bright blue eyes with their scared ones. I show them my hands. Then, the guys point their guns at the teller.

"Is this some kind of trick? Don't hurt us, freak. Or we'll hurt him!" The man looks at me in fear. I give the teller a small nod and he seems to know my plan. With a power I didn't even know I had, I feel myself slowly levitate and I raise my hands in their direction. Beams of bright blue energy fly at them and the 4 men are pushed into the wall, knocked unconscious. The wall crumbles from the force of my energy.

My hands power down, the light gone from them. My feet slowly touch the ground. The teller looks at me, dazed and confused. He stutters out, "Who are you?"

My heart hammers in my ears. The next words come out clearly. "Ocean."  
—————  
If you liked this chapter, feel free to vote! More chapters are coming soon. Okay, maybe I will put some MJ in there (we'll see what happens :). Hopefully the timeline is clear enough. This takes place during CA: Civil War so be prepared to see some action in the later chapters. And this is a Spider-Man x OC story :P And the Iversons are Tony's kids...no one knows that. Peter is gonna be shook


	2. Flaming Skies

I run away from the scene, hiding in an alley. I take off my hoodie and scarf, inhaling deeply. I see the blur of a red-blue figure pass me. It's Spider-Man. He lands in front of the bank. A few moments later, the police arrive.

I quickly walk back to the apartment, trying to be calm and not get caught. What happened back there? Wait...Slow down, brain. Am I superhero?!

I open the door to the apartment, putting a hand on my chest. Don't have a panic attack now. I can feel my vision blur. Lex and Rose are watching The Lion King with the girls on the couch. They look up at me in worry. Dad must have been asleep.

"Sorry. I'm-" I stumble. Lex goes up to hug me. "Shh...it's okay, Nic. You're okay...it's alright." She whispers, petting my hair. The girls leave quietly, leaving us alone I smile and close my eyes.

"What happened, Nic? What's the matter?" Rose asks, her kind green eyes shining brightly. I shake my head. "If nothing's happened, then why were you panicking?" She looks at me.

"Fine. I really want to tell you, but I feel like you're going to think I'm crazy." I say. I feel swarmed by nervousness. Lex holds my hand. Instantly, I feel content. Her knowing grey eyes examine me. "Believe me, you are far from crazy."

I sigh and take a deep breath. "Okay. Please don't freak out." I say out loud. "I think I have superpowers." The girls don't say anything, but nod. "My eyes glow blue and these blue lights came out of my hands! And I flew out of nowhere..." I say. Lex smiles.

"You are not crazy. I should've told you sooner but I felt you would call me stupid and a lunatic. We're different from the rest, Nic." Lex explains.

"But why? Why are we different?" I say.

"We're gifted. We were born with these powers. I don't know why." Rose says.

"So...everyone one of us is going to get powers?" I ask.

Rose nods. " We're what people call mutants." I raise my eyebrow. "Like the X-Men if they were real?" They laugh and agree.

"So what are your powers?" I question both.

"Well, I can make people do what I want. I can make them feel what I want. I can make them see things. I can also alter memories." Lex says. "But I never do it for evil. Only for defense. It has its downsides."

"I can control electricity and create it." Rose adds. "So you're like Thor, except a human?" I gape. She laughs. "I guess so, except I don't have his hammer."

She holds her hand and blue electricity jumps out. I look in awe. "So...what about Zel? When will she get her power?" I ask curiously. Zel and I are twins and if I get my powers, then maybe Zel will get them too. "It depends...but it happens at 15 years old. It can occur on the day of your 15th birthday, or the day before your 16th birthday. At least, it did for our family." Lex says.

"Dad can't be a mutant...so Mom?" I ask.

"He didn't say she was. We just assumed she was a mutant." Rose explains.

"She was odd." Lex nods. "Very secretive. And her death was suspicious. Mom died in a car crash on a cliff." She says.

My mom would meet with these strange people in their den. We would have to stay upstairs. I shudder to think who these people were.

I remember the day before the crash. Mom gave me a sad smile and hugged me extra tight. Dad kissed me and gave me a ring.

I giggled. "We have to do some business, sweetie, but we'll always come back to you."

Mama looked at me with those pretty emerald eyes. Eyes the color of forests. "I'll miss you, Coco." She whispered. "I'll find my way back to you."

My little 6-year-old self never understood those words or what they meant. Maybe I never will. I feel tears slipping from my eyes. Lex and Rose hug me. "I'm sorry, Mama. I'm sorry."

The tears begin to stop flowing. I feel at peace. "Thanks." I say. I rest my head on Lex's shoulder. A previous memory surfaces in my mind. "Oh shit..." I trail off, biting my lip in nervousness.

"What's 'oh shit' about?" Lex says. I look at the girls. "I forgot one teeny, weeny little thing-"

I hear Zel gasp from the couch. She looks at us in awe. Displayed on the 8 o'clock news, is the headline: "Alien hero saves bank teller from robbery!" A picture of me in the black hoodie is displayed. You can barely see my face, but my blue eyes and hands are visible.

Lex and Rose look at me in both shock and awe. The bank teller and several witnesses are being interviewed by the news station.

"Yeah! I saw this teenager or someone run in. I don't know who it was! They just walked in here and told those 4 punks to stop! I was freaking out because the person looked scary with those blue eyes and lasers! And then the guys shot them, but they didn't get hurt! Then the guys told the person they were gonna shoot me, and they looked at me and I knew I was being saved. The person started floating in the air and then just blasted the guys into the wall!  
It was like Spider-Man all over again!"

"The person was nice and made sure I was okay. They didn't want to be identified. And they had to leave before the cops came. They just told me their name was Ocean. Then, they ran off. Thank you. If you're out there, Ocean, you're a hero." The man smiled and gave a thumbs-up. I smiled back at the TV.

Lex turned to me in shock. I flinched, ready to be yelled at, but instead, Rose and Lex smile widely. They laughed with me. I let out a sigh of relief. "That was stupid and dangerous, but you did it anyway!" They said in unison.

"That was exciting. I want to do it again." I said, winded after all the excitement. "Well, you're gonna need an outfit, so you won't be identified. And Dad must never know." Rose added.

"Wow...you guys are so lenient on me." I say. "We're your age, and we know teenagers can be asses at times." Lex smirks.

"Haha...thanks." I chuckle. I wearily get up to go to my room. "Well, today has been an awkward and scary day, to say the least." I add.

The girls agree. "Okay. Today is over and now we sleep. Remember. Dad can't know." Lex says. Soon, everyone moseys to their rooms. I lay down on my bed, shutting the door and staring at the ceiling.

"I can't believe you're a superhero now." Zel says with humor in her voice. "I mean, I don't really feel like one. I bet one day you'll be too, big sis." I say, trying to comfort her.

"I'm not jealous, I swear. I'm just happy for you, Nic. And I truly mean it." She says with pride. "I had an idea. Maybe you could partner with Spider-Man..."

I scoff. "He's probably a one-man show. Maybe he's secretly an old grandpa."

Zel laughs. "Girl! Don't judge a book by its cover. Maybe he's young, cute and smart."

I shake my head. "He's the neighborhood hero. I'm a nobody." Doubts of becoming a good superhero fill my mind and heart.

Zel nods. "You're gonna make a badass hero, Nic. And maybe you can have your dream come true."

Those comforting words from my sister help me drift to sleep with a smile on my face.  
—————  
I am abruptly woken up a little earlier by Zel. She smiles knowingly at me. I roll my eyes.

"What is it, Zelda?" I say, using her full name. She doesn't really like it. "Oh, Nicole...it's nothing really. It's just people are intrigued by the mysterious 'Ocean'."

I purse my lips. "Well, there's nothing to this 'Ocean' person. They just so happen to be a normal Queens teen. Wait till they find out who they really are...but they'll never find me out." I spring up on my bed.

Zel shrugs. "Maybe. Anyways, you got a long day ahead of you." I furrow my brows. "What's the agenda today?"

She sighs. "Well, I mean, school as always. You have to go to Pedro's house again. Seriously, is he your boyfriend?"

I turn red. "Zel...I swear on grilled cheese if you say that one more time!"

Zel makes kissy lips. "Awww! So y'all are a thing! Hm...I mean, I think he has a crush on you."

I squirm. Please let it be true...why did I think that? "Um...just stop. You're gonna make me want to punch you."

Zel stops her joking. "Okay Nic. Let's go to the big house."

Surprisingly, Dad doesn't find out about last night. He goes off to do business as usual, leaving us girls to do our own thing.

The five of us walk in silence, occasionally talking about something random, like dinner or Zel's decathlon shindig.

I walk to school as if it was another regular day. My friends walk up to me in shock and awe. "Did you hear about that bank robbery near your house?!" Andy basically yells out.

"Yeah, Lex told me about it. That was scary. I heard the bullets loud and clear." I said, lying clearly. Ace sighs. "Where's Spider-Man when you need him?" He said.

"Maybe he was busy...there's a ton of bad guys out there for only ONE hero in Queens." Meg answers.

"That's true. Spider-Man's an amazing hero. Maybe that Ocean guy can help out a lot." Nova says. I smile slightly, feeling a bit proud of myself.

"Have you heard about..." Andy trails off into a conversation that I zone out from.

I stare off into the blue sky of Queens. I've been thrown into a dangerous game. I didn't have to answer the call to justice, but I wanted to. I could just keep my powers to myself, but maybe I can make the world a better place.

The rest of the periods go by without a hitch. The day is sluggish today. I just want to walk out of here with no one to see me go. The lunch bell rings, snapping me from my thoughts. In a robotic motion, I gather my things slowly. I don't even hear anything around me.

"Hey! Nic! Um..." A voice wakes me from my trance. "Are you okay?" I recognize it as Peter. It's as if cold water has been splashed on me.

"Uh yeah! Never better." I try to grin and bear it. Peter walks alongside me. "Soooo....what happened yesterday? If you don't mind me asking? Did I make you uncomfortable?" He asks.

I shyly smile. "It's um...personal problems. I have headaches and really bad panic attacks." I say. Peter looks at me worriedly.

"Um...it was NOT your fault. I just felt dizzy. Stress is such a gift." I say sarcastically.

"Oh. Well, you don't have to come to my house. Maybe we could do the project at lunch periods." He says.

"It's okay, Parker, really. It's cool. We kind of drifted apart as friends. You know, it's cool to keep friendships alive and beating." I laugh.

"That's right. Okay, well, let's try to finish the project early and get extra extra credit." Peter grins.

Lunch is a breeze. Silver Snake doesn't really come out to hiss anymore. She just stays in her own lane with her evil henchmen and women.

The lights aren't flaring up today. My eyes sometimes sting but not as much as yesterday. I barely found out about these spooky powers, so I don't know if that's the true extent of it. I hope nothing else happens at school, because that will be the END of me.

Gym is going normally, as planned. The last few periods are okay too, with the occasional eye sore and warm hands. Other than that, day two is down!

We walk back to house normally as always. I didn't expect Dad to wait for us, hands on his hips and glaring at me. Zel gives me wide eyes and scoots to her room. Rose, Lex, and Julie back off and go their room, looking at me worriedly.

When everyone is gone from the room, Dad blows the fuse. "I can't believe you'd be so crazy to try and pull that off!" He yells.

I wince. "What are you talking about?" I lie.

Tony rolls his eyes. "I know what you did, Nic. No use in hiding it now that the news knows!"

"I think you got me mixed up with someone else...I'm a regular 15-year-old kid. All I do is sit around and do shit."

"So a regular 15-year-old kid doesn't go into a bank, gets shot in the chest 4 times and lives to tell the tale?" Tony says in a monotone voice.

"How did you know? It barely been almost 24 hours..." I say, letting the facade fade.

"Word spreads like wildfire, and I find you gone from your room. You could've gotten killed! That was a dangerous game to play, Nic. Don't do that." Tony hugs me.

I hug him back. "I know, Dad. I'm sorry."

"Look, kid. First thing's first. You can't be a superhero without gear. That hoodie is not gonna do anything to help you." He said.

"Thanks for the input." I scoff.

"So...you can fly?" He asks.  
"Um...I only floated that one time. I could practice?" I reply.   
"Hmm...what about your eyes? What's the glowing thing for?"

"My hands shoot lasers but maybe my eyes do too. All I know is that my eyes and hands glow and I can float." I say.  
"Interesting. Okay, that's enough chit-chat for one day. So are you in?"

"Yes, but all I want to know, Dad, is can I be an Avenger? Please?" I give him the puppy eyes.

"No, kid. Definitely no. As long as you're my kid, it's a no."

"But Dad, I could be an asset to the team! Natasha taught me how to kick ass! And I have potential, as you can see." I beg.

"I said no. And besides, you're not the only one who's asked and failed." He put his foot down.

"Who's the other?" I ask curiously.   
"You might know them." Dad winks at me then leaves to his office.

I sit down in my room, gazing at my glowing hands. Sparks of blue fly up. I close my hands, the blue fading away.

I feel even more brave. While Lex and the others go to sleep, I decide to sneak out and go for a walk. "Please don't tell Dad, Cas." I whisper to my AI, Jocasta.

"Of course, Miss Nicole." Jocasta responds.

What a stupid idea, Nic. A teenage girl going out for a walk in the middle of the night? I don my black hoodie and pull my hair into a baseball cap. I take my scarf, because it is starting to chill a bit.

Quietly, I walk out of the apartment and go down the elevator. I emerge outside. Strangely enough, no one looks my way. Maybe it's because I'm dressed slightly like a mugger. I walk through the streets, feeling a little at peace with myself.

Then, I hear a scream pierce the air. A crowd of people are gathering around a flaming skyscraper. I run to someone and say, "What's happening?"

An old lady answers quickly, "There are some workers trapped in their office! It's on the 42nd floor! The fire trucks are on their way, but they won't make it!"

"I hope Spider-Man comes!" A man in the crowd yells.

"There's no time! No one else goes in." I tell everyone. I quickly race inside the building. I hear people scream after me.

Instantly, I feel hot and sweaty. I tie on my scarf around my nose, feeling only slightly better. I slowly climb the stairs, steadily becoming tired and dizzy. How the hell am I going to get up all these stairs?

Every few flights, I stop for one second and then carry on. I can't rest! You have to do it for everyone else. It seems like an eternity until I drag myself on the 42nd floor. I gag under my scarf. I want to pass out from the heat.

The office where the workers are trapped is starting to fill with smoke and fire. I push through every door in the office area. "Where are you guys?!"

"Is anyone here?!" I manage to scream. I hear nothing. I feel myself weaken but I don't let it faze me. I push through the last door and see at least 12 people coughing and trying to breath through wet paper towels.

I run to them. "I'm here to help." I say. "Is everyone here? Are all of your coworkers here?"

The workers nod. "How the hell are we going to get out of here?" A man asks. "The stairs are blocked and we can't move higher!"

I try to keep calm. The fire trucks are on their way, but it could take years! I can see the fire creeping closer to our area. We can't jump, but we're all going to die anyways. I gather everyone.

"Everyone come to the window. I know this isn't our favorite solution, but we have no choice." I say. The people seem to know their fate. I hear an explosion of glass from far way. Someone help us all. "Might as well die trying." A woman says.

My hands are on fire. I feel the light surge through my veins. The heat pierces the windows, shattering them. Everyone gathers around me. "Wow...." A young guy gasps.

"I'm Ocean. I know I'm not really trained in superhero things." I say. The people look at me with hope. We surround the windows, trying to flag someone. A figure lands in front of us.

"Hey! Is someone in here?! Are you alright?" I hear a voice shout. "Yes!!! We're in here!!!" I cough. A familiar face greets me. Spider-Man.

"I need help with everyone." I say. "We have to jump. There's no other way." I say. Spider-Man nods.

"I'll go down with two people at a time. And I'll come back for everyone else." He says. He quickly swings off with the two people. Everyone else is trying to stay calm, but to no avail.

I hear the roar of the fire coming to us. Soon, Spider-Man comes and takes everyone else, until it's just me and a man. I can feel the heat licking my face until the whole floor is almost on fire. "I don't wanna die." The guy whispers.

I look at the man. "Hold on tight, sir." I grab the guy and we both plummet in the air. It's like time has slowed. The wind is in my face, and the guy is holding close to me.

I hear a whoosh of air and I find myself being swung down by Spider-Man. I cling to him. The man breathes a sigh of relief.

Spider-Man places me down and looks at me. "Are you okay?" He asks me. I breathe deeply. "Um...yeah." I clear my throat, trying to deepen my voice. I blush red as Spider-Man still has his arms around my waist.

The crowd looks at the three of us. I separate myself from Spider-Man, and I straighten my scarf. Spider-Man is being cheered on by the crowd. I slowly and stealthily sneak off to walk home.

If only people knew.  
——————  
Sorry guys, I don't know how to write about a fire :/ But yeah...this is the second chapter. Oof, I can't really explain it. Hopefully you enjoy it :) And maybe next time something interesting might happen for our two heroes ❤️


	3. One Punch

I quietly eased my way through the door. Hopefully Dad and everyone was asleep...or so I thought. I shut the door slowly. The lights immediately turned on. The living room chair spun around, revealing Tony sipping a glass of champagne. I jump, caught like a deer in headlights.

"Look who decided to show up." He says. His face softens only slightly. "Why is your nose bleeding?"

I didn't notice until I licked my lips and tasted the iron. I wiped at it with my sleeve. I looked back at Tony.

"You smell like smoke. Where were you tonight? Cas told me you left. I saw the cameras from the lobby and you just walked out!" Dad practically screamed.

I rubbed my head. "Can we talk about this later? I'm kind of tired."

Tony sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Okay, kid. But tomorrow after school, we're having this discussion again."

I silently thanked Dad, walking slowly to my room. "Thanks for nothing, Cas." I spoke. No one answered. I laid on my side watching the moon cast a light in my room.

I tried to sleep peacefully, but dark nightmares swirled around me. I could see people turn to ash in front of me. The wind blew my hair around. I saw blood flow around me. It threatened to drown me.

I felt the blood drip down my hands. Slowly, I touched my face. It was blood, seeping from my eyes and nose. Then, I see my family dying. They all lie in front of me, dead and lifeless. Tony, Lex, Rose, Zel, Julie, everyone...Tears pour down my face. Then, I see Peter Parker... a kindhearted boy who never fails to put a smile on my face, slowly fades away into nothingness. I try not to sob but I can't help it.

I gasp a little, my eyes opening. I turn around to the night stand. The alarm clock read 6:34. I had an hour before school.

I lay on my back, my hands on my stomach. I feel calm. The sound of sirens fills the air. My body is as light as a feather. My eyes flutter close...everything is balanced.

I close my eyes. All I see is nothing. Darkness. It's welcoming and warm. Then-

The alarm blares in my ears. I open one eye. It was already 7:30. I flick Zel on the nose to wake her up. She reluctantly gets up. I put on a Captain America hoodie with blue jeans, not really caring for style. "I'm going to go on the train with a friend." I yell to everyone.

"Sure, Nic! Go ahead." Lex says. Zel chuckles.

"Give Peter a smooch for me, will ya?" I turn around and flip Zel off, which earns a laugh from her.

"Stay close with your friend, kid. You don't want to get into more trouble." Dad calls out from the office. I ride down the elevator and pull out my phone, thinking about Peter and the dream...no. Don't think about it.

I haven't really had a normal conversation with Parker in a while, so I text him.

N: hey, Parker. I was wondering if I could take the train with you to school? I've been wanting to talk to you :)

P: Sure, Nic. I don't mind. I enjoy your company.

I smile at that and walk over to the train platform. I wait a while. The dream from last night rises in my mind. It's more of a nightmare. People were dead. Millions...maybe billions...they all faded, literally. Even Peter did. He didn't deserve a fate like that. That would be impossible though. I mustn't worry, but something tells me it might happen.

I jump as someone nudges me in the shoulder, me from my thoughts. I gasp loudly. It's just Peter...He looks at me concernedly.

"It's just me, Nic. What's wrong? You seem...on edge lately." The boy looks at me. I sigh, not looking at his eyes.

"I'm just tired. School...stress." I say vaguely.

Peter thinks on it. "You know you can tell me anything? I am your best friend, after all."

I smile. "I know, Pete. I am thankful for it." I shuffle my feet awkwardly as he gazes at me knowingly.

The train arrives, breaking the silence and awkwardness. We don't talk during the ride, but I know that Peter still worries about me. I am kind of glad he cares about me, but I don't want to put him in any danger or reveal my secret to anyone, even if I could trust them.

We arrive at the school. This time, I decide to sit with Peter and his friend Ned. I don't even feel all the way here. I'm in my mind but not in my body. I lean on my hand, looking at nothing.

"Hey. Nic. The bell already rang. You're gonna be late." Peter's voice rang in my ears. I snap from my trance. His hand is touching mine.

"Sorry, Nic. Come on...tardy bell is going to ring." He says. It's like time has slowed. I'm walking like a snail.

"I don't know why I keep doing that...I feel strange." I say to myself. Peter furrows his brows. We walk to class late in silence. What is wrong with me? More like what ISN'T wrong with me.  
—————  
Nothing much happens during first and second period. I doze off in Langley's class. I stare off at some random thing on the wall.

I notice people start to stare at me. I look at them. Shane looks at me as if I was trash. I turn red and avert my gaze away from him. Fuck. I was staring at him...by accident.

"Is something going on here, Iverson?" Ms. Langley asks. I shake my head, looking at my notes. Everyone turns away from me, and the class continues. Snake glares at me from the corner of my eye. I could care less about what she thinks.

The bell for lunch rings. I am grateful for the distraction. I quickly walk out of the room.

"We really need to talk, Nic. You're scaring me! You keep zoning off and running away from us, your friends." A hand touches me. It's Andy. Her eyes are serious and worried.

"I wish I could tell you. It's no one's fault but mine." I say. Zel sadly looks at me. She knows what's going on with me but cannot tell anyone our secret.

"Just know that we have your back. Anyone who messes with you, is getting beat down." Nova smirks. The rest of my friends agree.

We sit down for lunch. I feel slightly more chipper. Andy cracks a few bad jokes, which I giggle at. We talk and talk about school, cranky teachers, and parties.

"Yeah. Liz is having one soon. I can't remember when." Meg adds. "Are we even invited?" I ask.

"Liz is my friend. She's nice too! I'm sure we can all come." Nova smiles. We change the subject to some department store in the mall.

"So, you look kind of better." Peter adds, having a side conversation with me. I shrug, swinging my feet slightly.

"I look like a trash panda everyday. Don't kid yourself." I grin widely. Peter chuckles. I've only ever seen Peter happy. He never gets mad or sad, sometimes concerned or serious...but never angry or sorrowful.

He makes a joke and I laugh loudly, my stomach in pain from how hard I laughed. I clutch it, with tears in my eyes. I guess this was the calm before the storm.

It suddenly felt as if ice slid down my shirt. My expression changes in an instant. I squirm and gasp loudly. I feel a liquid pour over my face and back. My mouth is agape. Everyone at my table looks at me in horror. No one dares to breathe.

I turn around. There she was. The Snake came to lash out. My eyes widen. An empty carton of chocolate milk is in her hands. She throws the remaining bit of it on me. Nothing could've prepared me for this.

I stand up slowly from the table. "You should've kept your eyes to yourself, you rat!" Snake yells.

I scrunch up my face. "You dumb cow, it was a damn accident!" I yell. Zel grabs my shoulder. She looks at me warningly. Don't do something you'll regret.

Snake rolls her eyes. "I've always hated you for some reason. But now I know why. You're a trashy, stupid girl who doesn't belong here! No wonder you wear those raggedy clothes. You're a hobo!" She screams.

I feel my fist curl tightly. Zel sees my eyes flaring up and moves in front of me to block me. I nudge her away gently. In a quick, swift motion, before anyone registers my next move, I punch Sarah in the face and she quickly falls like dead weight. Zel panics from beside me. "Fuccck." She hisses.

You could hear a pin drop in the cafeteria. Then, the whispers start. Some people look at me nervously, in horror, with awe, or a mix of every emotion. Peter is in shock. The cafeteria is in a buzz with this latest juicy news.

I sit down in shock. I can't believe I freaking punched Sarah. I mean, she deserved it. I only felt bad because then Tony would find out and ground me for eternity, or maybe just celebrate my accomplishment and buy me an island.

"You really did it..." Andy whispers from beside Zel. "I don't know why I did it. It's like my arm was just controlled by something...like instinct." I confess.

Then, the talking quickly stops. Principal Morita enters with the school resource officer. I look down in shame. "Miss Iverson, if you would please come with me." Morita directs it to me, obviously. Some other student takes Snake to the nurse. I knocked her unconscious with one punch. She'll survive (unfortunately).

"Everyone else, back to class now! No dawdling!" A teacher shouts. The cafeteria buzzes again loudly. I see my friends watch me. Peter looks disappointed. I feel guilty...ugh! My stupid brain needs to stop acting on instinct. My friends disappear into the crowd of students walking back to class.

Morita and the officer lead me to the principal's office. It was my first time ever being in a principal's office. I was always the good student...the teacher's pet, the smartest one in class. I could make Tony Stark proud, either by being the smartest kid ever, or by being the world's most arrogant ass. I could beat Dad at his own game.

The principal calls my father, telling him of my delinquency today at lunch. I don't hear their conversation, as I sit outside the office detained. Snaky-poo is still knocked out cold. Good for her.

The officer calls me in and I sit down in the chair against the wall. I fidget with my fingers. Tony can be a scary man when he needs to. By the time we're out of Mr. Morita's office, I'll be six feet under the ground. The clock reads 1:30.

A knock echoes in the room and a man enters. He has brown and grey hair and wrinkles on his forehead. He looks at me suspiciously.

"Welcome, Mr. Grey. Please, have a seat."

"So this is the kid that hurt my daughter?" The man asks. Mr. Morita nods. "Yes, Mr. Grey. Miss Iverson is the perpetrator."

Mr. Grey nods. I pinch the bridge of my nose.

"It was self-defense, Mr. Morita and Mr. Grey. Snake- I mean, Sarah...poured milk on me, as you can see by my stained clothes and-"

"That's enough, Miss Iverson. We will wait for your father to get here."

I sigh frustratedly. The clock ticks loudly. Noises seem louder than ever before. I close my eyes. Please get here fast, Tony.

I am saved by the bell when I hear a knock on the door. Tony enters the room. His eyes pierce mine. I shrink slightly under his gaze, but keep my cool, trying not to let myself appear scared.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Stark. Please take a seat. I'm sure you know why we're all here today." Mr. Morita explains.

"So...Nicole has been up to no good lately, I see." Tony frowns.

"But it was for a good reason!" I pipe up.

"Your daughter assaulted another student, Mr. Grey's daughter Sarah by punching her and knocking her unconscious." Morita says.

"She needs to be expelled. She hurt my Sarah!" Mr. Grey demands.

"Its an injustice what this school has done." I say.

Everyone looks at me. I meet everyone's eyes. "And why is that?" Tony asks.

"For starters, the school resource officer has done nothing to prevent the bullying occurring on our campus. I've seen other students being harassed and taunted by their peers. It is appalling and besides, it was self defense. Sarah did pour milk on me." I ramble.

"So, are you some kind of vigilante, knocking around the "bad guys"?" Morita says.

"I guess you can call it that..." I smirk.

"You heard her. It was self defense. Besides, she was slightly in the right. You have to fight back." Tony defended me, stretching his hands.

"Mr. Stark, I'm sure you are aware that your daughter has injured another student severely. There must be consequences. Miss Iverson cannot go unpunished." Morita responds.

"So what? Are you gonna put me in jail? Detention? Maybe whip me through the streets?" I roll my eyes.

"We're thinking about one week of suspension." Mr. Morita says.

"What? What about Snake girl?!" I yell, aghast.

"She will be put in four days detention. You're lucky, Miss Iverson. You have potential to do great things. You're an excellent student, but you lack a good attitude. Why waste it on petty drama?" Morita responds sternly.

"This is a shitshow. I guess I'll see you in a week...good sirs." I say in a huff. The bell rings for dismissal. Tony walks after me, leaving the other three men dumbfounded and dazed.

Zel eventually finds us two walking out, with Lex, Rose, and Julie trailing behind. "Oh geez! What happened? Are you going to get kicked out?" She asks.

Crowds of kids are whispering around us six. Tony rolls his eyes. "Nope. Just one week of suspension. The other kid got a slap on the wrist, which is four days detention."

Students pull out their cameras, taking pictures of Tony and record us exiting the school. I blush a little. Now there's a whole swarm of people yelling at Tony and asking for autographs. "Sure, why not." He says. I try not to bury my head in my hands.

People start to crowd around me, acting all nice to me, but really they're starting to suck up to me. I roll my eyes. Zel has her hands on her hips. We walk to the car, which is parked on the curb. 

"What is Tony Stark doing here?" Peter asks. I blush red, trying to look anywhere but at him.

"Oh nothing, just taking a tour of the school, and picking up my criminal kid." Tony smirks. I mutter, "Oh fuck it all."

Peter stutters, "You-you're Nic's dad?" Tony nods.

"You're Tony Stark's daughter?" I grit my teeth.   
"Um...noooo??" My voice gets high. I'm a shit liar.

Everyone chatters about this sudden revelation. The look on their faces makes me smirk as they realize that I'm Tony Stark's daughter...a very powerful person. "Okay, yes, but I guess it's too late now! You wanna hang out tomorrow maybe?" I whisper, pulling him aside from everyone.

"Um...sure, Nic. I could never say no to you." Peter smiles at me. His brown eyes make me melt. I sigh then turn back to Tony.

"Let's get the hell out of here." I say. I look at Peter sadly, and climb into the car, before getting back out.

"And for the record, I do not regret punching Sarah Grey. Thank you and goodnight!" I even take a little bow. Everyone goes into an uproar over my declaration. Peter's eyes widen. Andy stifles a gasp and everyone is just in shock and awe over this. Nova makes the sign to call her later with the tea.

I get into the car with my sisters. Tony says nothing but looks at me through the rear view mirror. "You just dug yourself in a deeper hole, kid."

I shrug and look out the window, watching the crowd disappear and buildings pass by. I sigh...maybe I'm the bad guy. I hear my cell phone ding. It was Wanda Maximoff, my friend. I hadn't talked to her in almost six months, but I still worried about her.

She was an Avenger, one of the very best. Wanda was like another sister. I could always talk to her about anything troubling me. Her twin Pietro was like my big brother. I cried for months when he had died in Sokovia. Pietro was also Lex's first love; she wasn't the same ever since. My dad was worried about me, and after that, he refused to let me get involved in Avengers stuff. He didn't even let me see or talk to Wanda or any of the Avengers anymore, but I never listen. I was glad that I could talk to her again.

W: Hey, Nico. I need someone to talk to. I'm scared.

N: What happened, Wan? Are you alright?

W: Nothing is alright. I've done something terrible. I killed innocent people. Look at the news.

I went to the news app on my phone and saw a horrific headline: "Avengers team member kills Wakandan relief aid workers in Lagos." It occurred almost one month ago. I didn't even bother to check the news anymore, as I never cared for the news.

W: I tried to contain the explosion but I accidentally threw it into a building...full of people. I didn't mean for it to happen, Nico.

N: I know, Wan. You're a good person. It was an accident.

W: I'm supposed to stay in my room at the Avengers facility. It's kind of lonely here. Will you come visit me?

N: I'll try, Wan, but I don't know if my dad wants me to go. I'll see what I can do.

I look at my dad. "Tony! Did you hear about Lagos?" Tony sighs.

"I know about it, kid. Look, Maximoff is being watched over to make sure nothing else is happening. She's safe." He explains.

"She didn't do it on purpose! It was an accident!" I yell.

"Kid, that's enough! Maximoff is a danger to society. They fear what they don't know. Also, you shouldn't be interfering in stuff like this. You could get hurt." Tony says.

My sisters look at us, not saying anything. "I'm a defender of freedom. I don't want to see people I love get hurt."

Tony shakes his head. "I'm trying to protect Maximoff from people who could hurt her." I sigh as we pull up to our home.

I quickly exit the car, slamming with a force. Lex runs after me. "Nicole! I was talking to you!" Tony yells.

I snap my head around. My fists are glowing. I look into Tony's eyes. I close them, and unclench my fists. I grumble and then storm off to the elevator. Then, I rush to my room, flopping on the bed.

Anger fills me. I grip my hair and yell. I breathe harshly. Picking up my phone, I look at the notifications.

3 missed calls from Supernova ⭐️  
2 messages from Supernova ⭐️   
3 missed calls from Andy Q 🌸   
4 messages from Andy Q 🌸   
2 missed calls from Underoos 🤓   
2 messages from Underoos 🤓   
1 missed call from Starboy ⭐️  
1 missed call from Ace of Spades ♠️   
1 missed call from Megamind 😒

I read through Peter's messages.

P: Hey, Nic. I'm kind of worried about you. Just wondering, why didn't you tell me about your dad?

P: You don't have to talk about it. You just seem odder than usual. And I think what you did today about punching Sarah was badass. I wished I could punch Flash like that.

I smiled at that. I called Peter back.

"Hey Nic, what's up?" His cheery voice asks. His happy tone calms me a little. I inhale slowly.

"Can we meet up at Delmar's and talk?" I say, my voice shaking.

"Sure, Nic. I'll see you there." He responds.

I hang up the phone. A tear fell from my eye, dropping on my sleeve. I walked out of my room, watching my dad pace around in his office. I passed by my sisters' rooms. Lex was reading a book. Zel was doing some decathlon questions and Julie was just listening to music. My little sisters were watching movies.

I wrote a note to everyone so they wouldn't worry about me.

I'm going out with a friend. I know what you're thinking. Yes, it is Peter Parker. And maybe I will give him a smooch for you, Zel. I'm messing with you, Dad. I'll be back soon.

Love,   
Nic

I leave the note on the kitchen table, quietly leaving the apartment. On the ride down the escalator, I can't help but wonder about Peter. He's such an angel. This world doesn't deserve a person like him. I don't. I'm not good for him.

My feelings for Peter Parker are growing. I think I've always felt something for him since maybe the first day. He's caring, sweet, and honest. Oh, I just feel guilty for keeping secrets from him. We tell each other everything.

When his Uncle Ben died, he hugged me and cried. I was his anchor in the storm, and he was mine. I walked to Delmar's and saw Peter inside talking to Mr. Delmar. "Hey Underoos."

"Hey, Kickass." He says. I roll my eyes.

"Hey, Nicky, what's up? How's dear old Dad?" The man asked. I smiled.

"He's doing okay. Can I have the usual?"

"Number 4, with tomatoes and a Number 5, coming right up." Delmar makes my order and gives Peter his sandwich as well. We leave the store, walking and eating our food.

I sigh. Peter and I walk to a nearby park and sit down on a bench. I put down my sandwich and look at Peter with tear-filled eyes. I fidget with my hands.

"Um...I'm having problems. A whole load of problems, and I feel helpless to them." I say. I can't help but sniffle. Then, I do the unthinkable and lean my head on Peter's shoulder.

"Hey, hey. Nic, it's okay. You know I'm here for you, right?" Peter says. He hugs me and lets me cry on to his shoulder. Waves of emotions are let out.

I look up at him. "My best friend is hurting...I'm hurting. I'm pushing people away. And I want to give up. I should've told you sooner about everything. I apologize for hurting you." I cry out.

Peter shushes me and looks me in my eyes. His brown eyes are warm and sweet like honey. "I will always be there for you. I want you to know that you can tell me anything."

"I feel really scared, even though I seem hard as nails." I say.

"You're the most badass person I know, Nicole." Peter smiles.

"I'm sorry, Pete. Forgive me." He looks at me strangely.

A spark of courage lights inside of me. Slowly I place a soft kiss on Peter's lips. He kisses back, unsure of himself. I pull back, scared that I went over the line, but he pulls me back, kissing more fiercely.

I tangle my fingers in his brown curls. We break the kiss. I shyly smile at Peter. He gives me a kiss on the forehead.

Maybe everything is going to be alright.  
——————  
Yessssss we have finally built up to moment. I know it seems I'm going fast, but I promise that there will be some action/fight sequences coming up, so stay tuned. I deemed this ship name Spider-Violet :)


	4. Part-Time Shrink

I literally confessed to Peter Parker that I like him. I look at him and blush. He's holding my hand. I bite my lip. Peter smiles widely.

"Um...you're a great kisser. Did you ever kiss anyone before?" I ask. Peter shakes his head. "No, you're the only girl I've kissed."

I blush. "So...is this a dream?" I breathe out. Peter kisses my hand. I turn red. I guess this was all real. We get up from the bench and walk around.

As we cross the street, a taxi cab runs the red light, pushing into me, but luckily I'm not hurt. "Hey! We're walkin' here!" I yell and I slam my fist into the hood, making a big dent.

Peter pulls me away as I continue to cuss out the cab driver, who retaliates my cussing. "Are you okay?" He asks, observing my tense figure. We briskly walk away from the scene.

"I'm fine. Just shaken." I relax my fists. Peter sighs, taking my hand. "Don't worry, Nic." He smiles. We walk past the same bank that I just saved earlier. A woman steps out, holding her purse.

She walks past us. A few moments later, I hear the woman scream and a black hooded man runs by us, shoving me to the ground. Peter picks me up and pulls me away to the side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Pete, really." I rub my knees, looking at the masked guy run away.

"I'm so sorry, Nic. I really have to go." He pecks me on the cheek.

"What? But why? Where are you going?!" I look at him as if he had two heads. My mouth is open.

"Stay here, don't go after me. I'll be right back!" I hear Peter yell as he runs around the corner, chasing the guy.

"Wait! Come back-" I open and close my mouth like a fish, sighing loudly. I roll my eyes, taking of bite of the now-smushed sandwich in my hand. I follow the direction where Peter and the guy ran. I don't see anyone here...

I wonder where Peter is right now? Should I call the cops? I hear gunshots ringing out. My heart pounds in my chest. Oh shit.

Where the hell is he? Is he dead? I try to walk in the general direction of the gunshots. Pulling out my cellphone, I speed-dial Peter's number. He always answers the phone.

"Hello?....Hello, is anyone there?" I hear a voice ask.

I blurt out, "Peter! What's going on-"

"Well, you may be there but I'm not, so leave a message!" The voicemail says. I grumble.

"Hey, Peter. Where the hell are you? Please answer ASAP. I'm worried. Just call me as soon as you can. I'm going home." I respond, hanging up the phone. I take a bite of my sandwich, texting Zel about today.

N: Okay, Zel, you won. I did have a crush on Peter. I just kissed him and then he kissed me back. He's a good kisser, surprisingly.

Z: It was about damn time! Now, when do you want the wedding to happen? Roses or lilies?

N: Forget the wedding, Zel. When we were walking, a guy just stole some lady's purse and then Peter chased after him. I don't know where he's at. I heard gunshots and he didn't answer the phone.

Z: Oh shit! What else happened? Is he alright? Don't do anything stupid, Nic. Just get home already. Dad has some news.

I didn't get the chance to reply. "Hey!" I hear someone shout. I feel a hand grab my shoulder. I turned around and immediately, my fist connected with a jaw. I gasped, my hand covering my mouth, finding myself standing in front of the one and only Spider-Man.

I turned deep red as he clutched his jaw. "Ouch! What was that for?!" He groaned.

"I'm sorry, Spidey, but you scared the shit out of me." I stuttered, biting my lip.

"You pack a punch, kid." He says. I shrug, "Thanks, man. I can't believe I'm talking to the real Spider-Man..."

"Um. Yeah, I'm just walking around patrolling the streets looking for some bad guys. You know, the usual. Actually, I just stopped a guy who stole a purse."

I smile wistfully. "I wished I could do that..." My eyes widen after realizing I said it out loud.

"Oh, you wouldn't like it. Too much work and no fun." He tells me. I frown.

"Yeah...I guess you're right. You beat up bad guys for a living and I'm sure it can get tiring."

"It can kind of suck at times. I can't put my friends and family in danger, because my enemies can use it against me."

"Yeah. My dad loves me so much. I know he doesn't want me to be in danger. My dad has PTSD from the battle in New York. I can sometimes hear him crying at night, after a nightmare."

"I'm sorry, I'm talking too much!" I laugh.

"No! Go on, part of my job is to help people."  
Spider-Man says.

"So, you're a part-time therapist?" I ask. He motions for me to keep going.

I continue, "I have nightmares too. I imagine my friends dying in front of me. Piles and piles of bodies. People dropping dead. And my boyfriend turns to ash in front of me and I can't even hold him in my arms." I sigh.

"I can't even tell anyone. I have memories and I don't think they're mine. I see things that haunt me." I say. "I'm probably going fucking crazy right now. I bet you're not standing in front of me." I chuckle lightly.

Spider-Man shakes his head. "I'm right here. I'm a real person, and I think you're far from crazy." Just like Lex said.

"I remember getting these powers and I couldn't even tell my best friend about it, because if I did, then I might be seen as crazy." He says.

"You're not crazy. I want to tell someone about my stress. It's just eating me up. I want to tell my boyfriend the truth, when the time is right. He's been my best friend since maybe forever, and he keeps secrets." I declare.

"Maybe you should tell him soon. You don't want to keep secrets from him." Spider-Man suggests.

"You're right, Spidey. Thanks for the advice. I need to find my boyfriend, Peter. He just took off after that guy! And I heard gunshots. I just can't handle more stress on my hands." I say. Suddenly, I feel myself heat up, the fire inside lighting up.

I feel Spider-Man hug me, his strong arms holding me tight. "Hey, hey. It's okay. I'm sure he's alright. He's probably trying to find you right now." He tells me.

I wipe my hands on my sleeve. His voice sounds familiar, but the thought slips my mind. "Peter always answers his phone...I don't know where he's at. Do you know where he is?" I ask him.

"What does this Peter look like?" Spider-Man asks.

"He has brown hair, and he's 15. He's wearing a blue sweater with a plaid shirt underneath and has a grayish jacket on." I sigh.

"I think I did see him...he was running past Delmar's, but then I think he was looking for you." He says, a nervous tone in his voice. He sounds like someone...it's probably just my mind jumbling up everything.

"Okay. He might be at his house, so I guess he ditched me. I can't deal with more shit today. Just give a message to Peter to call me when he can. I'm going to walk home." I say, waving bye to Spider-Man and walking the way to the apartment.

"Hey! Wait up! Maybe I could take you home? It's not really safe out. It's getting kind of late." He says, running after me.

"Wow. Are you sure? I don't want to bother you. You have tons of criminals out in the city." I say.

"It's no trouble at all, Ni—ma'am." He tells me. I furrow my brows.

"So where would my fair lady like to go?" He chuckles. I snort.

"Just take me to Stark Villa, please." I say.  
"Your wish is my command, Princess." He says. I roll my eyes.

"Please don't call me thaaaat!!!" I yell, as he shoots his web, swinging from a high building.

I don't scream, but gasp slightly, holding on tightly to his neck. He lets out a whoot, swinging along the buildings. I laugh, feeling my hair in the wind.

It's like being on a roller coaster. "I don't like heights, but this is actually nice!" I yell. I rest my head on Spider-Man's shoulder.

"Glad you like the view!" He shouts. He stops shooting his web for a brief moment, letting us drop fast to the ground. "Oh shiiiit!" I scream, then his web attaches to a building, pulling us back up from the ground.

He laughs in my ear. The ride is soon over. He quickly lands on the ground, carefully putting me down. I am breathless from the ride.

I shove him lightly. "I can't believe you're such a dick!" I laugh. Spider-Man laughs.

"Well, thanks for the ride, and the talk." I smile and hug Spider-Man tightly. He hugs me back.

"Okay, Spidey-o. Just remember to pass on the message Peter. I'll call him later." I smile.

"Will do! See you later, Princess!" He yells and swings away, leaving me smiling and shaking my head.

Finally, I receive a message from Peter as I enter the lobby of my apartment.

1 new message from Underoos 🤓

P: Nic, are you okay? Where are you? You're not here.

N: What the hell, Parker?! You just ran off after that guy, possibly risking your hide to save someone! Are you hurt?

P: I'm alright, Nic. Spider-Man caught him for me. He gave that lady her purse back.

N: I know. He found me while I was looking for you. And we actually had a nice conversation. Then he took me home! Like, literally! Did he give you my message?

P: Yes, ma'am. That's why I'm talking to you right now. :)

N: I feel like you don't believe me about Spider-Man...I'm not crazy! He swung me home!

P: I believe you Nic. I'm sorry again for ditching you. I thought I could take that guy down.

N: I know. I can be stubborn at times too. I'll talk to you later. Bye Roos

P: Bye to you too, Nic.

I fix my hair and go to my apartment, walking in and seeing a patient Tony eating a sandwich. He waves at me. "Hey, Dad...what's up?"

"I'm just eating this sandwich. Also, I was gonna tell you that I'm leaving to the compound. It's important business which is strictly for grownups only." He says.

"Can I please go with you? I really want to visit Wanda, she really needs some company!"

"No, kid. Maximoff is off-limits. She's on house arrest. I'm leaving to go do some business at HQ. Stay here." Tony says.

"That doesn't mean she's supposed to be isolated like some criminal!" I yell.

Tony sighs. "She killed people, kid. I'm trying to protect her. You're really stubborn, aren't you?"

"Well, I take after you in spirit, which might get me killed someday." I mumble.

"Okay, kid. You're coming with me. Just the four of you: Lex, Rose and Zel come too." He says. "I guess the news kind of concerns you all."

We get into one of the bigger SUVs in the underground garage. "So, what is the important business that kind of concerns us?"

Tony is driving the car. Lex is riding shotgun. I sit in the back with Rose and Zel.

"Wait till we get to the compound." He says. We all sigh in unison.

I lean my head against the window. I take a deep breath. Zel pokes me. I look back at her.

"So...you really kissed him? Is it official?" She asks. I smile.

"I mean...maybe!" I giggle. Zel smirks.

"I fucking knew it. I knew it since we came to New York. He was literally giving you lovey eyes!"

"I don't know if he did have a crush on me then. Also, I'm slightly pissed at him for ditching me!" I hiss. "He acts really weird and jumpy now."

"I was shocked when you told me that. That is very out of character for someone like Peter Parker." My sister agrees.

"I don't know what's up with him. I'm concerned. And I have some other shocking news." I say.

"Oh no. Not another fist fight." Zel rolls her eyes.

"What? No. I'm talking about how I was trying to find Peter because he ran off after that mugger. You had texted me and I didn't reply because Spider-Man spooked the shit out of me and I accidentally clobbered him in the face!"

"Holy mother of llamas. Are you serious?! You ran into THE Spider-Man?! From YouTube?!" She yells out.

Lex gasps. Rose looks at her phone to Google search him. I nod furiously. "Don't tell Dad though." I whisper.

"Kid, I can clearly hear you talking. So who is this...Spiderling from YouTube?" Tony asks.

Rose scrolls through some YouTube videos. One is Spider-Man catching a car that was going to crash into a bus.

Tony has a thoughtful look on his face. I continue with my story. "Okay, after I accidentally punched him, we just talked a bit about ourselves. Surprisingly, we are like the same person."

"I think that's cool. He sounds like a down-to-earth person, which is good for a superhero." Rose says.

I nod, stopping the conversation and sighing. I feel my phone vibrate.

1 message from Underoos 🤓  
P: Just thinking about you ❤️

I look at the text, blushing pink. Lex takes a peek at my phone. "Aw that's cute and mushy." I shove her gently.

N: Stop...that makes me wanna vomit.

I send the message, laughing when my phone rings a moment later.

P: Ouch. That just hurt.

I put up my phone up. We pull into the new Avengers Facility. I haven't seen this place in a long time.

I haven't seen everyone since...well, the Ultron thing. Me and my sisters became fast friends with Wanda after the incident. She was just like us, broken and lonely.

I walked inside the compound to the foyer. I looked around. "It's good to be back." The rest of us walked into the lounge, where we saw the rest of the Avengers sitting down, apparently waiting for us.

"It's everyone's favorite kid, me!" I say, smiling at the group.

"Hey, Nic. I missed your annoying voice." Natasha smiles, hugging me tight.

"Oh wow...I don't even get a hello?" Zel frowns.

"I missed you more than this one right here." Nat points at me.

"Is that you, Nic? Wow! I can't believe you're getting taller." Steve walks over, squeezing me tight.

"It has been too long. I should come over more, but Papa Bear over here won't let me visit." I snort.

"Well, that's very rude of him." Nat rolls her eyes. Tony laughs dryly.

"Where's Wanda?" I ask. A silence falls over the room.

"She's...in her room. She's still processing what happened in Lagos." Steve looks down.

I sigh. Slowly, I walk to Wanda's room. The door is open. Wanda is inside, watching a report on the incident in Lagos.

"They are operating outside and above the international law. Because that's the reality, if we don't respond to acts like these." I can sense Wanda feeling guilty about what happened.

"What legal authority does an enhanced individual like Wanda Maximoff have to operate in Nigeria?"

I turn off the TV. Wanda looks up at me and she smiles sadly. "Hey, Nicole." I sit down next to Wanda on her bed.

Looking down at my hands, I sigh. "I know what it feels like. The feeling of losing control. It's like...shit, I can't explain it." I laugh lightly.

"I know how it feels like. I just...wished it didn't happen." She answers. I lean slightly on Wanda.

"I've done bad things, Wanda. Sometimes, we can't help it. Maybe I could've helped it, if I didn't lose my temper." I blabber on.

Wanda eyes me curiously. "What are you talking about?"

"It's just...well, I bet you already know since I can feel you prodding around in there." I say, pointing at my head.

Wanda smiles. "Oh, my goodness, Nic. You're really a rebel."

"Yeah...I guess that makes two of us." I say cheekily. I sigh, massaging my temples.

"I'm glad that I can talk to you about anything. I don't feel so alone." Wanda smiles. I frown slightly.

"My dad is really...he seems like he has good intentions. I know how 'normal' people see the enhanced as dangerous. Not to be offensive, Wanda."

"It's okay, Nic. I understand. I wish it didn't have to be that way. I can control my powers. That one time was a mistake." She says.

We're interrupted by Vision walking through Wanda's bedroom wall.

"Vis, we talked about this!" Wanda sighs.

"Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that...Hello, Miss Stark." Vision says, greeting me.

"Hey there, Red." I smile.

"Mr. Stark has brought a guest, and he wishes for everyone to converge in the conference room." Vision replies. "I'll...use the door."

"We'll be there. And who's this guest?" I ask.

"The Secretary of State."  
—————  
We all know what this is leading up to...get ready for everything to be turned upside down! Thank you to everyone for reading my book and voting on it. It is very much appreciated! 😊


	5. What is Reality

The Secretary of State, Thaddeus Ross, is a finely dressed man with grey hair. He is waiting for us in the conference room. We all took our seats. I sat beside Wanda, smiling back at her.

Dad said we could listen if we wanted to, but to make sure we don't say anything stupid. Sure. I sit back as the man begins on a long tangent. I don't bother to listen to that.

"Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing." I chew on my gum, trying to remain patient.

"Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass, I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unplayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives...but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some...who would prefer the word 'vigilantes.'"

I reflect on the word vigilante. Spider-Man is a vigilante. I'm a vigilante, too. I took the law into my own hands and stopped those bad guys. That's what the Avengers do, but who can blame them? The world needs them, because who is gonna stop the bad things from happening?

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" Natasha asks Ross.

"How about 'dangerous?' What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?" Ross replies.

He turns on a screen behind him. There's footage of past missions displayed on the screen.

"New York."

You can see a Chitauri leviathan flying overhead. People are screaming. A soldier is firing a gun and the Hulk smashes into a building, sending a dust cloud to engulf a camera. It's utter chaos. Even if I didn't cause this, I feel horrible.

"Washington D.C."

There are three helicarriers firing on each other. The Triskelion is destroyed. A helicarrier is crashing into a river, the water engulfing citizens and the camera recording it. There is tension building in the room.

"Sokovia."

Terrified civilians are running around. The city is rising by the minute. A building falls over. I can see Lex look away. I know Tony feels guilty for everything.

"Lagos."

A fire rages on in a tall building. Paramedics are moving a body. A young girl lays lifeless on the ground. Wanda's hand finds mine. I squeeze it. She looks down in shame.

"Okay. That's enough." Steve says, intervening. The images disappear. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution." Ross slides a thick booklet to Wanda and me. I look at the cover.

"The Sokovia Accords. Approved by 117 countries...it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel seems it necessary." I look at the Secretary thoughtfully.

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place. I feel we've done that." Steve responds. I agree with him. Sadly, it was at the cost of innocent lives.

"Tell me, Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" I haven't seen my favorite uncles Point Break and Green Giant in forever. I hoped they were okay. I hadn't seen them since Sokovia. I know Thor could handle himself, the same with Bruce.

"If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes, you can bet there'd be consequences. Compromise. Reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

"So there are contingencies." Rhodey says.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords." I see Steve glance at Tony.

"Talk it over." Ross says.

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Nat asks.

"Then you retire."  
———  
I sit on a couch, watching the argument about the Accords unfold. Tony doesn't say anything.

Rhodey and Sam are facing off in a heated debate. "Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor, which is one more than you have." Rhodey yells.

Sam refutes him and they are back at it. Vision intervenes. "I have an equation."

He begins to explain his idea. I drift off into my own mind. I know I didn't have a vote in this, since I wasn't an Avenger, but I felt like I would say no. What if the Avengers needed to stop a threat, but the Accords wouldn't allow them to go and stop it?

Tony begins to talk about a boy named Charlie Spencer. He had his whole life ahead of him. Good grades and a computer engineering degree. He wanted to see the world and build sustainable housing for the poor in Sokovia.

"He wanted to make a difference, I suppose. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass."

I stayed silent, looking down. I laid back on the couch, feeling my head pounding.

Tony snapped, "If we don't do this now, it's gonna be done to us later. That's the fact..."

"I know I probably don't have a say in all of this..." I interrupt.

"And you don't." Tony replies.

"I'm just saying, maybe this Accords thing is a bad idea." Everyone looks at me as if I just grown an extra head.

"Okay. There's no decision-making process here. We need to be put in check." Tony argues, feeding the fire.

I groaned slightly. I didn't like people fighting over little things. Guess that makes me a hypocrite. I got up and walked out of the room.   
I decided to call Peter and find out what he was doing.

"Hey there, Nic! What's up?" He sounds breathless and tired.

"Hey, Parker." I can hear the wind in the background. "Um...what are you doing?"

"Oh, I'm just taking a jog. Yeah, that's it. And...OH SHIT!" hear Peter yell.

"What happened?! Are you okay?" I ask.

"Heh, I just tripped over my shoe lace." He says. I can hear a commotion in the background. Then, someone is shouting.

"Gotta call you back, Cole. There's just something I gotta do." Peter says.

"Wait!" Then, the call is ended. It was only about a 40 second conversation. Peter has been off lately. He always runs to the danger.

I lean on the railing, reminiscing my life. I hear the door opening behind me. Steve walks out. I turn to face him. He looks at me sadly.

"Oh, Steve, what happened? Is something wrong?" I ask, walking up to my friend.

The man sighs and looks down. "Peggy is gone. She went in her sleep."

I shudder. I hug Steve tightly. "You don't deserve this. I'm so sorry, Steve."

He hugs me back, and then pulls away. He gives me a sad smile. "I wished I was with her. Holding her hand, till the end of the line."

His blue eyes are teary and clouded with emotion. I try to gather my thoughts. "Stay strong for her."

"I know, kid. I'll see you later." Steve says. He walks away, leaving me alone in the hallway.

I sigh. My life is really chaotic right now. Today, I punched Sarah, got myself suspended, finally confessed my feelings for Peter Parker, and my anxiety is bubbling up. I have major issues. What a fucking roller coaster.

I walk back into the lounge. Everyone is still talking about the Accords. End me now.

"Can we go home, like now? I'm bored out of my mind." I groan, resting my head on Tony's shoulder.

"We just got here. You really want to leave us so soon?" Nat pouts. I roll my eyes at my favorite auntie.

"Yes. You guys are so annoying. But really, this grown-up talk is making me tired. Just get it over with." I say, not really paying attention to anything going around me.

"I'm gonna wait in the car." I said to my dad. I walked out of the facility to where the car was at, but I saw nothing. Maybe Dad parked it somewhere else.

I turned around to walk back to the facility, but all I could see was ruins. The sky was a dark black. Smoke and dust filled the air. It was destruction.

The Avengers facility was nothing more than rocks and rubble. Everything was destroyed. I walked through the ruin, looking at the desolate view around me. What the hell?

"Dad? Lex? Hello!" I yelled loudly, trying to find a survivor in this catastrophe. I was somehow still calm, but panic was rising through me. Is this some kind of vision? What the hell is this place...

"Is anyone here?! It's me, Nic!" My voice echoed in the silence. Nothing...no one was here.

I've always been here.

I jerk my head and look around. The voice had a malicious tone to it.

In your head. All this time.

I tried to find the voice, but I couldn't find it. I walked about, looking through the rubble for something or someone. "Who was that?! Show yourself now!"

No one can stop the war.

I saw someone laying against the rubble. Tony's eyes are glassy, his body unmoving. There's blood on his face. I kneel beside him and shake his body.

"Dad? Please wake up." I say, not wanting to believe he is dead. He doesn't answer.

"I'm sorry, Dad. For everything." I try and swallow a lump in my throat. Tears prickle in my eyes. I choke out a sob. "Dad..."

I see blood dripping on to my dad's suit. I wipe my eyes, and find that my tears are blood. Snap out of it. Get out of this. This isn't real.

I feel my dad's hand grab me. I can't get out of his grasp. Get out of my head. I scream as Dad's other hand grips my other wrist.

"Let go of me!" I say, trying to wrench myself from Tony's grasp. Dad's body is laying still, but I can still feel his hands hurting mine. "You're hurting me!"

Nothing is working. I'm trying to snap out of it, but I'm still trapped in my mind.

I hear muffled voices. "She's stuck in that place. I can't get to her." It's Lex's voice.

"Lex! Help me, please!" I scream, my voice echoing in the vast wasteland. "I don't know what to do!"

"Breathe, kid! It's just Dad. Just try and wake up." I close my eyes shut, trying to ignore the sight in front of me.

"Come on, Nic. Follow my voice." I focus on Lex's voice and then I feel myself returning to reality.

"Nic. It's me. You're okay." I open my eyes, wincing at the bright light. Dad is kneeling in front of me. His eyes are filled with concern and worry. I can't help but cry when I see his sad face.

"Dad. You're alive." I whisper. He looks at me, puzzled at my words. I hug him tightly, sobbing into his chest. He embraces me. His warmth comforts me.

"Are you okay, kid?" Tony asks. I shake my head, still holding on to him as if he would disappear. I continue to cry into his chest.

I break away from the hug. "Talk to me, kid. I can't help you if I don't know what's going on."

I get up from the ground and look around. Everything looks normal. Lex, Rose and Zel look at me worriedly. "It's just stress. Life is just throwing another one of its curveballs at me. I'm alright. No need to worry." I say. It's obvious that I'm lying.

No one says anything as we walk to the car. I know my answer doesn't satisfy my dad and sisters, but I don't want to worry anyone too much.

I get in the car, leaning my head on the window. Tony is alive. The Avengers facility is okay. It was nothing. You're okay.

But am I?

I'm still shaken up by that vision—whatever the hell it was... I grab Lex's hand, just to know that she is real. She smiles back at me, and I feel safe.

I can still hear the voice in the back of my head telling me that it's real. Can I see the future? Maybe if it really does happen, I can try and stop it.

You can't.

I rub my wrists. They actually hurt from fake Tony grabbing me. I need to know what's going on in my mind.

Am I going insane? I mean, Dad has panic attacks too. Apparently it was from the Battle of New York.

How am I getting them? I haven't experienced anything traumatic in my life. I have my strange powers which I just discovered like two days ago, but that couldn't be it, could it?

And who is the voice talking to me in that vision? I can't place my finger on it. It said it was always in my head.

And the war. What war is it talking about? No matter...I will never let anything happen to my dad. 

I would die before I see it happen. Whatever it takes.

————————————————————

Okay, I think we all know what's going on here. I know it feels so fast but I'm trying to time it well. Also, sorry if this chapter seems awfully short! I'm going to make it up to everyone soon! Feel free to leave comments on anything you like, or leave a vote if you want. Thanks for almost 200 reads!

sspiderling 🕷


	6. Lose Control

"So, what's the sitch, Nicky?"

I shakily sigh, holding my phone. I pace around my room. I needed to talk to my friends, so I decided to call the one person I knew to trust.

"Andy, I just need to talk to you about something important. Bring Nova and Meg, too." I rub at my temples. "Meet me at that Thai place we always go to."

"Will do, kiddo." Andy says, hanging up the call. I ready myself to go to the Thai restaurant. I just leave on my clothes and walk out of my room.

"You sure you're okay, kid?" Dad is relaxing on the sofa, drinking some cold water. I shrug.

"You're a bad liar. You were basically flipping out at whatever you saw." Dad says worriedly. I frown slightly.

What if I'm crazy? Will he lock me up in some crazy asylum? No. He wouldn't do that. Anyways, I don't give a damn.

"Nope, I'm okay. I just imagined you were dead, that's all. Nothing to worry about!" I yell, an unexpected anger flowing through me.

"I'm leaving. I'm going with Andy to that Thai place. I'm coming back later." I say. No one tries to stop me as I push my way out the door and race down the stairwell of my apartment building.

I'm greeted by a gust of wind to my face. It's about 5:00 pm now. The streets are busy as always.

I walk quietly, sticking my hands in my hoodie pocket. This city is still bustling at night. Traffic never stops in New York.

My mind wandered to my vision.

Dad.

He was just laying there, lifeless. I was trying to shake him, wake him up. He couldn't have been dead.

And then I felt his hands. They gripped my wrists tightly. No matter how much I try to forget that moment, it is still embedded deep in my memory.

I am nearing a crosswalk and stop. I notice that both of my shoelaces have come undone. I pause for a moment to tie them.

There's an eerie silence in the air. I look up to view my surroundings. The people around me are gone. The city is quiet and lifeless. I'm all alone now.

I look up at the sky. Flashes of red lightning light up the heavens. It's strangely mystifying.

A newspaper flies around and lands on the ground before me. I pick it up. The headline is in big letters.

WHERE DO WE GO, NOW THAT THEY'RE GONE?

I look at the year. 2023.

The newspaper turns into dust in my hands.

What is this? This is probably some joke. The year is 2016. I'm probably tripping balls on something.

The only problem is that I'm as sober as a judge. Or maybe I was somehow secretly abducted by aliens and this is why I'm receiving these messages and now I'm a strangely powerful fetus.

I'm losing my marbles right now, so I better just snap out of it! Okay, Iverson. Calm down.

"Um...hello? I don't know what this is, but...I think you got the wrong person!" I shout into the lonely night.

No one answers. Not even the wind.

"This isn't funny! I'm just an fucking nobody. I don't even know what the hell I'm doing." I ball my fists. "I'm a miserable failure."

This has always been your destiny. You were born for this, lapis. You and your sisters.

A soft, gentle voice whispers in my ear.

What is my destiny? Who are you? I don't know what is happening to me. What is lapis?

You'll find out the answers soon, little lapis. I know you have it in you.

Soon, the scene disappears before I can respond and I'm taken back to my world. I look around me.

The city is as lively as ever. Everyone is bustling about, trying to go places. The traffic is still the same. The cars are honking loudly once more.

I let out a sigh of relief. Everything is okay again.

I'm still shaken up about this new message. What the hell is wrong with me?

I cross the sidewalk, going to the Thai restaurant.

I enter the restaurant. Andy, Meg, and Nova are already seated at a table. A fourth person is sitting next to Nova.

It's MJ. I kind of knew her from decathlon, but we never actually had a conversation. We had started talking a bit, and we got a bit closer through the decathlon team.

"Hey, guys! Sorry I'm a bit late." I smile shyly. The girls look up at me and greet me.

"Girl, a Queen is never late. Everyone else is simply early." Andy grins, sipping her water.

"Iverson, I gotta say, that was a dramatic exit you made when leaving school. I live for it." MJ says, giving me a small clap.

"Hell yeah, Nic. I've been wanting to throw some hands at old snake face for a while. Glad you got to throw a hit in." Meg says, smirking at me.

I smile at my girl friends. You just gotta love them. We all order our food and wait for it to be brought out.

"Okay, so...I gotta tell y'all something big. I only told Zel this." I say, laughing.

"Don't leave us hanging, Nic!" Nova says, gesturing me to tell.

"So. It's official. Peter Parker and I are a thing, I think. Okay, maybe it's not official. I don't even know if we're even together. I barely told him like today." I blush.

Andy squeals in delight, fanning herself. Meg holds out her hand to accept $5 from Nova. I notice MJ look crestfallen. I don't know why she looks sad.

"Ugh, finally. I've been telling you all since we first met in middle school. Parkerson has finally sailed!" Meg grins proudly.

"Okay, guys. Enough! Let's just calm down for a sec. Besides, that's not the only reason I brought you guys here today." I say, looking at my friends.

I look behind Andy to the T.V. There was a news report about that building fire that I was at. It shows me and the guy plummeting down almost 42 stories, but Spider-Man catches us.

Everyone is captivated by the report. I look down at my food. Thankfully, the intelligent part of me thought not to show my face. No one can EVER know.

"Wow. That must've been scary having to jump out from such a height." Andy mutters, sighing.

"I can't imagine being in a situation like that." I say, trying to put on my poker face.

MJ eyes me strangely. Does she know already? Can she read my mind? Or maybe I'm doing a piss poor job of hiding my identity.

She just looks away from me. Okay, good. I wouldn't want a target on my back.

We all continue eating. Maybe I shouldn't tell them about my visions. Will they even believe me?

"Also, why didn't you tell us sooner that your dad is THE Tony Stark? THE Iron Man? I would've been jumping for joy!" Andy basically shouts. Luckily, it's just us in the Thai restaurant.

"Um...I don't know. I feel like people would've treated me differently, and I would have a target on my back because a lot of people hate my dad. I'm just trying to have a normal life, but lately, it has been batshit crazy."

Meg tilts her head curiously. "Why is that, Nic?"

I look around at my friends and take a deep breath. "Please don't think I'm crazy. Please."

The girls look at me concernedly. Andy looks into my eyes and grabs my hand. "Girl, if you think you're crazy, then I must be a boring person."

I smile back, closing my eyes.

"It's just that...I see things. Terrible dreams, and visions. The first thing I saw was Peter, and he just turned to dust in my hands. There was blood coming from my nose and eyes. You all were there, dead." I shook my head, trying to forget it.

"It's okay, Nic." Nova says, holding my hand. I smile at her. I continue on.

"Then, the second vision was about my dad. Everything around me was destroyed. The sky was dark, and it looked like something in a dystopian film. My dad was just lying there on some rubble. He was dead. And I couldn't help him." I felt tears stinging at my eyes.

"It's just a dream. It's nothing to be worried about." MJ says, trying to comfort me.

"But what if it is something to be worried about? This voice...it was in my head. It told me that 'no one can stop the war' and that 'it's been in my head all this time.'" I shuddered, thinking about the voice.

"And finally, my last vision was five minutes before I got here. I had stopped to tie my shoelace and suddenly I couldn't hear the cars honking, or the people talking. I was alone. The sky had red lightning in it. It was just quiet. No one was there. There was a newspaper and it had the year 2023."

"2023? It's barely 2016. That's years away." Meg says, giving me a curious look.

"And then a voice spoke to me. It called me Lapis. It told me that this is my destiny. Me and my sisters were born for this and I would find the answers soon." I said. I looked at Andy, Meg, Nova, MJ. I just wanted them to say something.

"That's some scary shit, girl." MJ responded, breaking that short, tense silence.

"Nic, I'm glad you told us. That is scary. You don't have to suffer alone. You are not crazy." Andy smiles at me, calming my tense nerves.

I sigh in relief, closing my eyes. See, Iverson? Everything works out.

I could hear a small ringing in my ears. At first, it started slow. A flurry of voices were all in my head.

"Oh my gosh..."  
"We should..."  
"She's so..."  
"I can't believe..."  
"You what..."  
"What the..."

They were coming from every direction. I can hear clocks ticking and phones ringing. Every little sound was amplified. It's getting louder and louder.

I clutched my head. Get out of here, Nic. I scrunched up my face, feeling my head throbbing.

"What's going on? Nic!" I hear a voice yelling. It's coming from the distance.

"I gotta leave. I'm sorry, guys." I say, slowly getting up, and walking to the door.

"You're bleeding!" Andy shouts. I wipe at my nose.

"Someone, please-" I say, my voice cut off by a high-pitched ringing. I moan in pain, trying not to attract attention.

"Nic, you need to slow down!" Meg says, trying to calm me down.

"Stay away from me!" I yell, trying to push everyone away. I push my way out the door, feeling the pain in my head.

I'm a ticking time bomb.

Please. Stop it. I can't bear any more pain.

Now, I can feel the pain spreading throughout my body.

Get. Home. Now.

I try to hold in the pain, but nothing seems to work. I can't see anything anymore. All I see is darkness.

As I cross the sidewalk, I see a car racing towards me. I scream, holding my hands out in front of me. I feel a rush of energy erupting from my body.

I feel power surging through my veins.

This is it. This is how I lose control.

Time slows down, and I can hear my heart beating faintly. 

The ground shakes. I hear glass breaking. Car alarms are blaring. People are screaming.

I look around me. The car is stopped abruptly, a large dent visible on the grill. The metal lampposts are bent. The electricity is out everywhere. Glass windows are broken.

My heart is beating so quickly that I can't think. Blood is dripping from my eyes and nose. I collapse into a heap on the ground.

All I can think is one thing.

What did I do now?

I did this.

I did this.  
————————————————————  
Yes children, we are getting somewhere. And yes, Nic is having visions about the wars to come. (Infinity War and Endgame) I know, SPOOPY. She doesn't know that yet.

And there is STILL more to come. You guys are gonna lose your marbles. Oh, I feel so bad for putting poor old Nic through this. She's gonna fight the battle of her life...in her mind.

And yes, the evil person talking to her is Thanos. I wonder how he got into her head? We'll explore that later.

Thanks for reading this chapter and let me know what you guys think!


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